Stacking and/or storing goods



March 2, 1965 .1. A. STIRLING 3,171,551

smcxmc AND/OR STORING GOODS Filed April 16, 1962 11 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOA I9 075 s A. 577/71 ma;

ATTORNZY March 1965 J. A. STIRLXNG 3171551 STACKING AND/OR STORING GOODSFiled April 16, 1962 11 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.3

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March 1965 J. A. STIRLING 3,171,551

STACKING AND/OR STORING GOODS Filed April 16, 1962 ll Sheets-Sheet 3FLooR CROUNDFLOOR FIG. 9 2s ATTORNEY March 1965 J. A. STIRLING STACKINGAND/OR STORING GOODS ll Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 16, 1962 mu m 2 N MmE1? T v5, A A M 5/ M W 5 Y B March 1965 J. A. STIRLING 3,171,551

STACKING AND/OR STORING GOODS Filed April 16. 1962 11 51 1 41 5 FIG."

INVENTOR TAM/SS A Szmlm/a ATTORNEY March 2, 1965 STWNG 3,171,551

STACKING AND/OR STORING GOODS Filed April 16, 1962 ll Sheets-Sheet 6 U CM DEPOSIT SCZ REACTION SC COLLECT REACTION Z SCI I HO 0| DEPOSIT 1! D |lUca Ho 1 c COLLECT I I II D ucfx HT HH HOMING I II [11 HT PIC-3.12

A TTORNE Y M h 2 1965 J. A. STIRLING 171 55 STACKING AND/0R STORINGGOODS Filed April 16, 1962 11 Sheets-Sheet 8 REACTION COLLECT SKvINVENTOA 74AM; A. 57/19: //M

A TTORNEY March 2, 1965 3,171,551

J. A. STIRLING STACKING AND/OR STORING GOODS Filed April 16, 1962 llSheets-Sheet 9 l/VVENTOR J/Wis' A Shah/v BY 3W 14% m: M Z

ATTORNEY March 2, 1965 3,171,551

J. A. STlRLlNG STACKING AND/OR STORING GOODS Filed April 16, 1962 11Sheets-Sheet 1O //VVENTOR JAMES S 5 5Y 3 4%.; :W 4 ATTORNEY March 2,1965 .1. A. STIRLING 3,171,551

STACKING AND/OR STORING GOODS Filed April 1962 11 Sheets-Sheet 11 1151128770 11611 112@ m o 119 /105 109 2 X 112 5 111 11 SILL-51', 115 115121 I/VVENTOR JAM: HST/Rum;

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,171,551 STACKING AND/6R STORING GOODSJames Alexander Stirling, Fretherne Chambers, Welwyn Garden City,Herttordshire, England Filed Apr. 16, 1962, Ser. No. 187,837 6 Claims.(Cl. 214-461) This application is a continuation-in-part of my pendingapplication Serial No. 782,130, filed December 22, 1958 and relatesthereto, as to all common subject matter, for all dates and rightsincident to the filing thereof. Said application is now abandoned.

This invention is concerned with the storing of goods. In thisspecification reference will be made more particularly, and by way ofexample only, to the parking of motor vehicles, but it will beunderstood that the store house may be used for storing many other itemsof merchandise such as manufactured goods, spare parts, raw materials,and so on, disposed on pallets or other suitable supports.

For example, the parking of cars in modern cities is a very considerableproblem and the store house, which may in this example be called amulti-storage garage provides a very effective answer to the problem.

An object of this invention is to provide more particularly an improvedautomatic multi-floor garage having a number of parking stalls on eachof its floors wherein the cycles of operation involved in the parking ofa motor vehicle and its collection are electrically controlled and insuch a manner that it is only after the positive completion of eachindividual operation in a deposit or collect sequence of operations thatthe next operation in the sequence can be performed, thereby assuringthat the said control fails safe.

Another object of the invention is to provide an electrical control forthe deposit or collection of a motor veh cle in a multi-fioor garage,wherein a sequence of deposit operations are initiated by the turning ofa key, or a token in respect of the key, which is handed to the owner ofa vehicle after parking, which key or token has to be returned by theowner of the vehicle before a collect sequence of operations can beinitiated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a multifioor garagehaving one or more elevators, the elevator or each elevator carrying anangular-1y adjustable transporter which conveys a motor vehicle to andfrom a parking stall, the angular adjustment being such that, at thelevel at which a Vehicle is accepted for parking, a vehicle may bedriven onto the transporter at an acute angle with respect to theadjacent side of the garage thereby minimising manoeuvring space for avehicle at said level.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, an embodiment ofthe invention as applied to a multifloor garage will now be described,by Way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional plan view of a part of a multifloor garage;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional elevation, sections being taken on the lines AA,BB and CC, of FIGURE 1, for the respective floors;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross section;

FIGURES 4 and 5 are diagrammatic plan views of alternative floorarrangements;

FIGURE 6 is an indicator board;

FIGURE 7 shows a token and FIGURE 3 shows a key, either of which may beused in the operation of the garage;

FIGURE 9 is a flow diagram to illustrate the mode of operation of thegarage;

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of one form of garage structureembodying the invention;

3,171,551 Patented Mar. 2, 1965 FIGURES 11, 12 and 13 are diagrams ofthe electric control circuits;

FIGURE 14 is a wiring diagram of the control circuits in more detail;

FIGURE 15 is a plan of an angularly adjustable transporter for use in agarage, according to the invention, and having two entrance/exitchannels;

FIGURE 16 is a plan of the transporter with a part of the slattedconveyor removed;

FIGURE 17 is an elevation of the transporter partly in section;

FIGURE 18 is a section on A-A of FIGURE 16 drawn to an enlarged scale,and

FIGURE 19 is a plan showing the disposition of the transporter bearings.

Referring to the FIGURE 10, a garage 1 has nine floors numbering 2 to 9,inclusive, including a ground floor. In FIGURE 2 a garage is shownhaving five floors including a ground floor. Referring to FIGURES 1 and2, each floor may provide parking space for, say, twelve cars in stall7. A transporter gallery 8, on each floor 2 to 6, extends from anelevator 9 at one end of the garage to the other end. and six stalls 7on each side of the gallery each receive a car.

The elevator 9 is adapted to lift a car from ground level to the flooron which it is to be parked and, when in the elevator 9, a car rests ona transporter 10 forming a part of the elevator. When the elevatorreaches a selected floor level it is automatically stopped and thetransporter moves from the elevator along guide rails or tracks 11arranged at each side of the gallery. When the transporter lit, with acar upon it, reaches a preselected stall 7 it is automatically stoppedand the car is moved into the stall. The transporter 10 may then bemoved back to the elevator or it may be moved to another stall on thesame floor to receive a car which is to be returned to its owner.

In order to move a car into a stall 7, the floor of the transporter Itis provided with two sets of rollers 12. As soon as the transporter hasstopped at a selected stall, the rollers are caused to turn in unisonand in the appropriate direction. In each stall 7 rollers 13 are alsoprovided extending across the stall for at least the first half of itslength. The rollers 13 are driven synchronously with the rollers 12 sothat a car is automatically moved into the selected stall.

The floor of the elevator 9 has a track stand for the transporter Iii,which track stand corresponds to the rails or tracks 11 on each floor.The transporter 10 is powered for longitudinal movement along eachgallery by an electric motor, not shown, carried by the transporter. Thetwo driven roller tracks 12 on the transporter are separately powered bya second electric motor 14 on the transporter. The rollers receive thecar, one roller track 12 forming a guide for two wheels at one side of acar, and the second track 12 accommodating the other wheels. As will beseen from FIGURE 2 one of the tracks 12 is wider than the other, thusprovision is made for cars of varying widths.

The guide rails or tracks 11 on each floor exactly align with the trackstand in the elevator when this is at rest at a floor. When thetransporter has moved from the elevator along the gallery of a floor toa position opposite a selected stall clutch mechanism (not shown)couples the roller 12 with the rollers 13 so that all rollers are drivenin unison.

When a car is driven onto the transporter and the elevator is at theground floor, the driver puts on the hand brake and locks the rearwheels, and/ or the gears may be engaged, leaving the front wheels free.Thus, when the transporter arrives opposite a selected stall, therollers will operate to move the car into the stall. The drive to therollers from the motor 14 may be effected by a chain and sprocket orother form of drive arrangedto transfer the drive from one roller to theothers. In such an arrangement it is preferred that the rollers 13 andthe motor drive should comprise a unit so that in the event of anyfailure in the unit it may be removed and repaired or replaced by a newunit.

Although a single elevator 9 has been referred to serv- I lows:

ing six stalls at each side of the gallery, i.e., on each floor,

in certain cases there may be two elevators 9, one at each end and each,for example, serving three stalls on each side at each level as shown inFIGURES 4 and 5. In.

larger combination units having two or more galleries 8 on each levelthere may be two, three or moreelevators 9 as desired.

It is to be understood from the foregoing description that parking inaselected stall 7 is eifected automatically once a car has been depositedon the transporter in the elevator when the latter is at ground leveland a particular parking stall has been selected. Also, the collectionof a car from a stall for deliveryto. its owner may be per-.

formed automatically. In order to achieve this desired result, asuitably designed electrical control system may be used, so adapted thatan incoming car may automatically be routed to a selected stall 7 and anoutgoing car may be automatically brought to an exit positionon theground floor 2.

As an example of 'thegeneral operation, a control panel '15' may beprovided, in an attendants kiosk, for instance, to indicate occupied andunoccupied stalls. Anoccupied stall may-be indicated by a red or otherlight and an unoccupied stall by a green or other contrasting light, the

light being indicated generally at 16.. Alternatively, indicating meansother than lights may be used. When a car has been loaded in the hoist,the operator selects a vacant stall, e.g. stall No. 50, to receive thecar and hands to the driver of the car a token 17 marked with a symbolto identify the selected stall. The operator then turns a key, orinserts a key, or presses a button 18, or takes some other positiveaction according to the design of the electric control system, totrigger otf the required train of operations necessary to park the carin the selected stall.

As soon as the positive action is taken, the elevator 9 ascends tothefloor on whichis the selected'stall. The transporter then moves from theelevator to-the stall (a) Elevator-travels towards selected floor.

(b) Elevator enters selected floor microzone and slows down havingpassed a first limit switch.

(c) Elevator reaches a second limit switch and reverses direction oftravel.

(d) Elevator reaches the first limit switch and reverses agam. V

This process of hunting at a selected floorlevel between i% in. in themicrozone is defined by the first or lower limit switch and the secondor upper limit switch.

(3) Stall selection and action is indicated by 23:

(a) Transporter leaves the elevator byautomatic switching immediatelythe alignment of the stand track 7 in the elevator with the track 11 atthe selected floor is achieved. a r

(b) Transporter travels towards selected stall.

(c) Transporter enters selected stall microzone and slows down.

(d) Transporter reaches selected stop switch and on stopping engagesroller clutch unit and roller motor starts in the selected direction.

(2) Roller units, now driving, move the car into the selected stalluntil a roller stop switch 'isreached when the movement ceases. At thisstage, the automatic clutch is disengagedjand the transporter is freefor its next operation. v

(4) Return to elevator, indicated by 24:

(a) Transporter moves towards elevator.

(b) Transporter enters elevator microzone and slows down.

a (c) Transporter reaches elevator limit switch and stop in elevator.

(.5) Return to ground floor, indicated at 25:

(a) Elevator descends towards ground floor and enters the ground floormicrozone and slows down.

and the rollers 12 on the transporter and the rollers in the stallrotate to park the car. It is to beunderstood that the positive actionto be taken by the operator is capable ofa wide variation to suitindividual requirements. As an example, the indicator board 15 may havea key 19 associated with each stall 7, which key may have to. be turnedby the operator before it can be removed. The turning of the key mayinitiate the train of operations and the key, when removed from theboard, may be handed as a token to the driver of the car being parked.When the car is to be collected, the driver hands the key back to theoperator who then uses it to initiate a reverse train of operations. a

The elevator and transporter movements are accurately located bymicrozone and limit switches ensuring correct alignment of the elevatortrack stand with the gallery 7 track 11 at the selected floor and alsothe immediate engagement of the automatic clutch between the transporterrollers 12 and the stall rollers 13. Appropriate arrangements :areprovided to ensure that no entry may be made to the elevator shaft whilethe elevator is away from the ground level.

stalls.

The general details of the flowcycle of cars, illustrateddiagrammatically in FIGURE 9, may be summarised as Similarly,arrangements will be made to ensure. that cars are only moved in thedirection of vacant (6) Elevator shaft safety gates open, indicated by26. If during any part of a deposit cyclepanel instructions areregistered to collect from any floor, other than that at which depositis being made, the transporter when free at the end of the operation 3,indicated by reference 23in FIGURE 9, will return to the elevator andthence to' point 2(a) and re-enter the cycle thus taking path Y inFIGURE 8. Similarly, instructions to collect from the floor at which thetransporter stands at 3(e) will return the transporter to point 3(b)byroute Z, FIGURE 8. In the absence of any such instructions to takeroutes,

Y or Z, the transporter takes the straight path through route X inFIGURE 8 and returns to the ground floor.

An electrical director for controlling the various operations involvedin the parking of a car and its collection may comprise multi-bankuniselectors and relays associated with each key 19. InFIGURES 11 and12, uniselectors US and UC, respectively, are indicated and their banksof contacts are shown separately, an indication being given of thecircuits which each bank controls.

Assuming that a car is to be parked, a vacant stall, as indicated by oneof the lamps 16, is selected and the key 19 is inserted in the indicatorboard 15 and is turned in the appropriate direction DP an indicating orcycle running lamp L lights, the key control being indicated theuniselector US is driven, under self-interruption, so as to cause itswipers to sweep over its banks of contacts. When the wiper ofuniselector bank USI reaches the contact connected to earth by theoperation of the switch actuated by the key, relay T operates and closesa holding circuit through relay contact T2 connected to earth therebylocking the relay. The operation of the relay T has a number of othereffects, it opens the driving circuit of the uniselector US whichtherefore stops. The operation of the relay T also closes a circuitthrough one of its contacts T2 for the indicating or Cycle Running lampL which therefore lights. Since the relay T is held, the switch operatedby the key may be restored to normal and the key may be handed to theowner of the car which is being parked. The relay T also actuates othersof its contacts T3, T4, T5 and T6 whereby circuits are closed throughthe wipers of uniselector banks USZ to USS, respectively, to operate thefollowing relays:

DR to initiate a car deposit cycle (or C to initiate a car collectcycle).

Relays IF to SF according to the floor on which a selected stall islocated.

Relays LT or RT according to whether the car is to be deposited in astall to the right or left of a floor.

Relays IS to SS according to the distance of the selected stall from theelevator.

The operation of the relay DR, providing a second uniselector UC has itswiper in the position from which it moves to initiate a number ofoperations, actuates contacts D1, D2 and D3. The closing of contact D1connects a bank of contacts UC3 to earth whereby an Action, such asclose the elevator gates, can be initiated, this being one of a sequenceof actions initiated by the contacts of UC3. The operation of thecontact D2 closes a circuit through a relay SC which actuates contactsSCI and SC2, the contact SCI closing a holding circuit for the relay SCand the contact SCZ connects a bank of contacts UCZ to a drive motor Mto await Reaction. What is meant by Action is the operation of a remotecontactor (not shown) which closes a circuit whereby a function isperformed. Reaction consists in the closing of circuits by the remotecontacts as each Action is completed, the circuits including theuniselector bank UCZ, contact D3 and the motor M. Thus, the wipers ofuniselector UC are each driven from one contact to the next only when anAction has been completed. The final action of UC3 is to energise arelay Z whereby the relays T and SC are released so that the circuitsreturn to normal.

Hoist and transporter location Referring to FIGURE 13, the upper of thetwo circuits provides for the fioor location of the elevator and thelower circuit for the location of the transporter opposite a selectedstall. For convenience of illustration, the upper of the two circuitsshows the contacts on floors 1, 3 and 5, which floors are indicatedlinearly. Assuming that a car is to be transported by the elevator tofloor 3 where the selected stall is located, floor contacts Hit, H1 andH2, that is to say the contacts of the floors below floor 3, are allconnected to an Up relay UR while the contacts H4 and H5 of the floorsabove are all connected to a Down relay DX, the contact H3 beingconnected to give reaction.

With this arrangement, and assuming overlap between adjacent floorcontacts Ht), H1 and H2 during the elevator movement, when earth isconnected to the Action lead via uniselector bank UC3, a circuit isclosed through the Up relay UR by way of floor contacts H1, H2, andcontact IF1. Cont-acts IF]. to IFS are normally made and each isactuated by a relay F in the action circuit of the bank of UC contactsassociated with each floor. When F is energised, say for the location ofthe elevator at floor 3, contact IFS is actuated so that the action leadis connected to the reaction lead via floor contact H3, whereupon the Uprelay UR is de-energised and the elevator stops at floor 3. It is to beunderstood that the relay UR when energised operates contacts wherebythe elevator is driven.

When the elevator is to be returned to ground level after a depositaction, for instance, it will be obvious that the fioor contacts willonly be made during the descent of the elevator, therefore the Downrelay DX includes a holding contact HH connected to earth. A contact HTis included in the Action lead. which contact is operated by thetransporter when this is correctly located on the elevator, thearrangement assuring that the elevator will not return to ground levelunless it is carrying the transporter.

The operation of the lower circuit shown in FIGURE 13 for the locationof the transporter opposite a stall is similar to that of the circuitfor the location of the elevator at a floor.

It is to be understood that a Collect cycle of operation will be similarto that of a Deposit cycle, but that the various operations will beperformed in a reverse sequence.

Electrical circuits corresponding to those shown in FEGURES 11 and 12,but in more detail, are shown in FIGURE 14. The circuits includemultibank self-driven uniselectors associated with each key 19, whichuniselectors close circuits in sequence through relays whereby thevarious operations may be performed. In FIG- UPE 14 uniselectors areshown and the banks of contacts they control are indicated. Theuniselectors constitute a searcher for a selected stall and theparticular floor Where the stall is located. Two identical uniselectorsor searchers are provided, one for a deposit operation and the other fora collect operation. The circuit at the left hand side of the dot anddash line DL shows a uniselector US and its banks of contacts, thecircuit constituting the deposit searcher and it is to be understoodthat the circuit will be duplicated at the right hand side of the lineDL for the collect searcher. The control panel 15 provides for left andright hand keys 19. By turning a key in the appropriate direction, thedeposit searcher will be initiated and in the reverse direction thecollect searcher will be initiated.

Assuming that a car is to be parked, a vacant stall as indicated by oneof the lamps 16, for example the second stall on floor 3 at the lefthand side of the control gallery, is selected. The key 19 is theninserted in the appropriate key hole in the left hand side of thecontrol panel 15 and is turned to initiate the deposit operation. If,but only if, the elevator is in position to receive the car and acontact Ht} operated by the elevator is closed, a relay S, FIGURE 14, isoperated by the closing of a contact S0 actuated by the key 19. Theenergization of the relay 5 actuates a contact S2, whereby a motor M forthe drive of the uniselector US is driven, a contact FT 1 in theuniselector motor circuit being normally closed. The uniselector US inthe arrangement shown has two banks of contacts F1 and F2, the bank F1being concerned with floor selection and the bank P2 with action, aswill later be made clear. The uniselector US comprises an electricalmechanical device for moving Wiper arms in complete circles on theperimeters of which are many contacts. Alternate contacts are used oneach bank of contacts for electrical connections, the intermediatecontacts being dead. A contact C1 of the bank F1, associated with thekey being operated, is connected to earth via key contacts EC. Theuniselector US is then driven until the wiper arm of F1 touches thecontact C1. This has the effect of closing a circuit through a highspeed relay FT which operates the contact FTl so that it breaks theuniselector drive circuit.

The operation of the contact FT} closes a circuit via a lead L1 and anormally made contact T51 of a relay TS whereby the motor M1 of a seconduniselector SL is driven. This uniselector is concerned with stallselection is located. The wiper of the uniselector SL is then drivenuntil it touches the contact C2 whereupon a relay TS is energisedcausing the contact TS1 to break the drive circuit of the motor M1. Theoperation of the contact- TS1 also has the effect of closing a circuitthrough a relay TSR. The energisation of the relay TSRalso operates acontact TS2 which closes a holding circuit through a second winding ofthe relay Sthus maintaining a holding circuit on relay S.

At this stage, the key 19 may be removed and handed to the driver of thecar being parked. If the key were released prior to the completion ofthe operations previously described, the uniselectors US and SL would.automatically move onto dead contacts, this being their normal at restcondition. At any time while the uniselectors are in this condition acollect operation could be initiated.

The searcher will remain quiescent until a start key SK is operated by acar owner or attendant. of the start key will, through a contact 53 oftherelay S, energise one winding of a dual wound relay. 'SHL, this beingdone only when a deposit operation has been initiated. The relay SHLoperates a contact SHLll so that the second winding of the relay SHLisenergised whereby the relay SHL is held, the holding circuit beingclosed via a contact S5 which is operated by the relay S,

A final circuit is provided to operate a relay SC of an The operation 8the motor M3 is driven to move the wipers to the next contact of eachbank of contacts. Another action can then be initiated such as start theelevator motor and it is not until this action is completed that thenext action can be performed. Thus, all of the actions necessary to parkthe car are performed in sequence. The final operation of theuniselector UC is to'opera'te a relay Z which actuates contacts Z1 andZ2 so that the holding circuits of relays S and SC are broken whereuponthecircuits return to normal.

Although the storehouse in the. embodiment of the invention describedissubstantially rectangular in plan,

action and reaction controller, shown diagrammatically at the right handside of FlGURE 14, the deposit contacts being indicated in theiroperative positions. The circuit is closed by way of a contact SHLZ ofthe relay SHL, a contact S4 of the relay S and a normally closed contactSHL3 of a relay corresponding to the relay SHL on the collect searcher.If a collect operation is in progress, the operation of the start key SKwill not actuate the relay SC since relay S will not have been operated,consequently, the deposit searcher will be inoperative. Conversely, if adeposit operation'is being effected, the collect searcher will. beinoperative, since the relay corresponding to S in the collect searcheswill not have been operated. A contact SCI operated by the. relay SCcloses a holding circuit for the relay SC so that once an action isinitiated it cannot be disrupted by anything taking place in bothsearchers.

The operation of each uniselector motor is such that on its releaseafter an operation, the wiper will always move to the next dead contactand then when the motor is energised the wiper will move round in smalljumps until it is stopped, as previously described.

Each uniselector consists of two or more banks of contacts each having awiper, the banks being electrically separate. One of these banks, F2 forinstance, is used in one of the controller action circuits so that whenthe controller issues the order go to floor 3, for example, this orderispassed through the bank F2 which will direct it to the correct floor.

The contact to which the wiper of F2 has been driven according to thefloor where, the selected stall is located, is connected to a relay DRwhich, when energised, closes contacts D1 and D2. The contact D1 isconnected to earth and the contact D2 is connected to the motor M3 of auniselector UC via a contact SC2 of the relay SC to await a reaction aswill later be made clear. Since D1 connects the wiper of UC3 to earth,an action can be initiated by the operation of a relay F, the action forinstance effecting the energisation of electro mechanical means forclosing the safety gates of the elevator. The completion of thisoperation results in the breaking of local contacts whereby the means istie-energised. At the same time contacts are made whereby a circuit isclosed through U52 and D2 (deposit reaction) whereby it may besubstantially cylindrical. In this instance an angularly adjustabletransporter may be used in conjunction with any convenient type ofelevator. Such a transporter can be used to an advantage in" both typesof storehouse, since the transporter maybe adjusted at any angle when atground floor level to suit the direction of travel of a car to beparked. Thus, manoeuvring'space for a car in front of the entrance andexit can be reduced to a minimum. The angularly adjustable transportermay be constructed to accommodate one, two or more cars, but inthefollowing description a transporter for a single car will be described.

A circular platform 101 having segmental. side platforms 1G2 and ltifiand a parallel sided central platform 164-, is constructed for rotationin a horizontal plane about a central vertical axis. 7 I

The platform is rotated by an electric motor 105 through a worm drive1G7 and an annular gear 109. The

' platform 161 is supported on radially .disposedrollers which areinterconnected by transverse spindles 112B.

Each spindle mounts at its ends rollers 112C which run in metal tracks112D. The rollers 112C serve to support the conveyor and prevent itsagging when carrying a load. The. conveyors pass over, and are drivenby, sprockets 113 and 114.

The conveyors are driven by a common electric motor 122 via a bevel gearbox 122A and a chain drive 122B.

The motor 122 also drives two sets of four rollers 123, disposed asshown in FIGURES 16 and 17 to span the gap formed between the twoconveyors and a further conveyor or platform (not shown) which is alsodriven from the motor 122 through the medium of a thrust clutch As shownin the drawings, upstanding ribs 117, 118, 119 and 120 are providedbetween which'the wheels of a car are positioned.

Where a car is driven onto the elevators under its own power, the hingedplatforms 102 and 103 enable the driver to alight. The platform can befolded upwardly .out of the way by means of hydraulic rams 121 to permitdirectly from the road and onto the transporter without the need formanoeuvering the car. In this way the How of vehicles into and out ofthe garage can be expedited.

In operation, a car is driven onto the. conveyors and 111 under its ownpower, the hinged platforms are folded out of the way, and thereafterthe transporter is raised by the elevator to the selected floor. Duringraising, or when the elevator is stationary, the platform may be rotatedand, if required, traversed horizontally into a position correspondingto an entrance/exit channel or parking stall at the selected floor. Atthe selected floor, the endless conveyors 110 and 111 are set in motionand the car conveyed to a further conveyor which is powered from thetransporter via the clutch assembly 126, whereby the car may bedeposited in a selected stall.

Such an angularly adjustable transporter is particularly suitable forstorehouses of circular cross section where storage stalls are disposedradially with respect to the axis of rotation of the transporter. Theangularly adjustable transporter is also applicable to a storehousehaving floors as shown in FIGURE 1, since the transporter can be movedto a position aligning with oppositely disposed stalls and then rotatedfor the deposit of a car in one or other of the opposite stalls.

If desired, the slatted conveyors 110 and 111 may be replaced by anyother conventional form of conveyor, for example, reinforced fibre wiremesh or pressed steel elements pivoted together.

It should be emphasised that although the parking of motor vehicles hasbeen referred to, a storehouse according to the invention is equallysuitable for the storage of palletised merchandise or articles, forexample refrigerators, television sets, machine tools, washing machines,and so on. Alternatively, stocks of raw materials such as timber may bestored on pallets in this way, and

so on.

I claim:

1. A multi-story storehouse comprising a structure divided into a numberof storage floors, an elevator for raising and lowering a transporter onwhich goods are transported to and from the said floors, saidtransporter being movable horizontally out of and into said elevator ateach of the said floors for the transport of goods to and from storagestalls on each of the said floors, conveyor means on the transporter andin each of the said stalls for goods, a control panel having switchingmeans associated with each of the said stalls, said means beingselectively and manually operable to initiate a deposit or collect cycleof operations, a deposit searcher and a collect searcher each comprisingmotor driven uniselectors the operation of which is selectivelyinitiated by the manual operation of said switching means, theuniselectors of each searcher comprising a first uniselector having abank of contacts and a contact wiper whereby circuits may be conditionedfor floor selection and a second uniselector having a bank of contactsand a contact wiper whereby circuits may be conditioned for stalllocation, relay means for discontinuing the drive to said firstuniselector after the selection of a floor, said relay also closing acircuit whereby the motor of said second uniselector is driven, relaymeans for discontinuing the drive of said second uniselector after astall has been selected, holding relays energised by the closing of thesaid switching means of the control panel whereby both said searchersmay be maintained in condition for operation irrespective of furtheroperation of said switching means, a second bank of contacts and a wipertherefor associated with each of the said banks of contacts for floorand stall location, the wiper of each said second bank operating inunison with the wiper of its associated bank whereby electricalconnections are made for the operation of an action and reactioncontroller, each uniselector of said action and reaction controllerhaving a bank of contacts and a Wiper for said contacts, the wipers ofsaid deposit and collect uniselectors closing circuits on sequencewhereby a number of electro-mechanical operations involved in thedeposit of goods in, and collection from, a stall may be performed insequence, and electrical contacts arranged to be made on the completionof each of said operations, said contacts closing circuits through thebank of contacts and wipers of said reaction uniselectors and motordriving said action and reaction controller whereby said wipers aredriven to permit an operation in said sequence of operations only afteran immediate preceding operation has been completed.

2. A multi-story storehouse comprising a structure divided into a numberof storage floors, a gallery on each floor, storage stalls on each sideof each gallery, a transporter for goods adjustable about a verticalaxis, an eleva tor for raising and lowering the transporter to and fromdifferent floors, tracks in the elevator for the said transporter andtracks along each gallery, said tracks aligning with those in theelevator whereby the transporter may travel out and into the elevatorand along a gallery to and from a stall, a conveyor on the transporterand in each of said stalls whereby goods may be deposited in andcollected from a stall, a control panel having switching meansassociated with each of said stalls, said means being selectively andmanually operable to initiate a deposit or collect cycle of operations,a deposit searcher and a collect searcher each comprising motor drivenuniselectors the operation of which is selectively initiated by themanual operation of said switching means, the uniselectors of eachsearcher comprising a first uniselector having a bank of contacts and acontact wiper whereby circuits may be conditioned for floor selectionand a second uniselector having a bank of contacts and a wiper wherebycircuits may be conditioned for stall location, relay means fordiscontinuing the drive to said first uniselector after the selection ofa floor, said relay also closing a circuit whereby the motor of saidsecond uniselector is driven, relay means for discontinuing the drive ofsaid second uniselector after a stall has been selected, holding relaysenergised by the closing of the said switching means of the controlpanel whereby both said searchers may be maintained in condition foroperation irrespective of further operation of said switching means, asecond bank of contacts and a wiper therefor associated with each of thesaid banks of contacts for floor and stall location, the wiper of eachsaid second bank operating in unison with the wiper of its associatedbank whereby electrical connections are made for the operation of anaction and reaction controller, each uniselector of said action andreaction controller having a bank of contacts and a wiper therefor, thewipers of said deposit and col lect uniselectors closing circuits insequence whereby a number of electro-mechanical operation involved inthe deposit of goods in and collection from a stall may be performed insequence, and electrical contacts arranged to be made on the completionof each of said operations, said contacts closing circuits through thebanks of contacts and wipers of said reaction uniselectors and motordriving said action and reaction whereby said wipers are driven topermit an operation in said sequence of operations only after animmediate preceding operation has been completed.

3. A storehouse as set forth in claim 1 wherein a limit switch isprovided at each of the aforesaid floors, said switch controlling thepositioning of the aforesaid elevator with respect to a selected floor.

4. A storehouse as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of the aforesaidstorage stalls has an associated microzone in which movement of theaforesaid transporter is slowed down and subsequently arrested in aposition limited by a stop switch and wherein clutch means are engagedon stoppage of said transporter whereby the aforesaid conveyors in thestall and on the transporter are driven in synchronism for the depositand collection of goods into and from said stall and wherein switchmeans are provided for the stoppage of said conveyors after thecompletion of a deposit or collect operation.

5. A storehouse as set forth in claim 2 wherein the aforesaid conveyorcomprises an endless belt formed by a series of interconnected metalslots arranged in a direction laterally of the direction of motion ofsaid conveyor.

6. A storehouse as set forth in claim 2 wherein the aforesaidtransporter is provided'with hinged side walks adapted to be swungupwardly into a substantially vertical position References Cited by theExaminer UNITED STATES PATENTS Summers et a1.

Romain.

Lontz 214-4614 Maissian. 7 Becker.

Thaon de Saint-Andre.

Burkeet a1; 21416.42 X

HUGO O. SCHULZ, Primary Examiner. GERALD M. FORLENZA, Examiner.

1. A MULTI-STORY STOREHOUSE COMPRISING A STRUCTURE DIVIDED INTO A NUMBEROF STORAGE FLOORS, AN ELEVATOR FOR RAISING AND LOWERING A TRANSPORTER ONWHICH GOODS ARE TRANSPORTED TO AND FROM THE SAID FLOORS, SAIDTRANSPORTER BEING MOVABLE HORIZONTALLY OUT OF AND INTO SAID ELEVATOR ATEACH OF SAID FLOORS FOR THE TRANSPORT OF GOODS TO AND FROM STORAGESTALLS ON EACH OF THE SAID FLOORS, CONVEYOR MEANS ON THE TRANSPORTER ANDIN EACH OF THE SAID STALLS FOR GOODS, A CONTROL PANEL HAVING SWITCHINGMEANS ASSOCAITED WITH EACH OF THE SAID STALLS, SAID MEANS BEINGSELECTIVELY AND MANUALLY OPERABLE TO INITIATE A "DEPOSIT" OR "COLLECT"CYCLE OF OPERATIONS, A "DEPOSIT" SEARCHER AND A "COLLECT" SEARCHER EACHCOMPRISING MOTOR DRIVEN UNISELECTORS THE OPERATION OF WHICH IS SELECTIVEINITIATED BY THE MANUAL OPERATION OF SAID SWITCHING MEANS, THEUNISELECTOR OF EACH SEARCHER COMPRISING A FIRST UNISELECTOR HAVING ABANK OF CONTACTS AND A CONTACT WIPER WHEREBY CIRCUITS MAY BE CONDITIONEDFOR FLOOR SELECTION AND A SECOND UNISELECTOR HAVING A BANK OF CONTACTSAND A CONTACT WIPER WHEREBY CIRCUITS MAY BE CONDITIONED FOR STALLLOCATION, RELAY MEANS FOR DISCONTINUING THE DRIVE TO SAID FIRSTUNISELECTOR AFTER THE SELECTION OF A FLOOR, SAID RELAY ALSO CLOSING ACIRCUIT WHEREBY THE MOTOR OF SAID SECOND UNISELECTOR IS DRIVEN, RELAYMEANS FOR DISCONTINUING THE DRIVE OF SAID SECOND UNISELECTOR AFTER ASTALL HAS BEEN SELECTED, HOLDING RELAYS ENERGISED BY THE CLOSING OF THESAID SWITCHING MEANS OF THE CONTROL PANEL WHEREBY BOTH SAID SEARCHERSMAY BE MAINTAINED IN CONDITION FOR OPERATION IRRESPECTIVE OF FURTHEROPERATION OF SAID SWITCHING MEANS, A SECOND BANK OF CONTACTS AND A WIPERTHEREFOR ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF THE SAID BANKS OF CONTACTS FOR FLOORAND STALL LOCATION, THE WIPER OF EACH OF SAID SECOND BANK OPERATING INUNISON WITH THE WIPER OF ITS ASSOCIATED BANK WHEREBY ELECTRICALCONNECTION ARE MADE FOR THE OPERATION OF AN "ACTION" AND "REACTION"CONTROLLER, EACH UNISELECTOR OF SAID ACTION AND REACTION CONTROLLERHAVING A BANK OF CONTACTS AND A WIPER FOR SAID CONTACTS, THE WIPERS, OFSAID "DEPOSIT" AND "COLLECT" UNISELECTORS CLOSING CIRCUITS ON SEQUENCEWHEREBY A NUMBER OF ELECTRO-MECHANICAL OPERATIONS INVOLVED IN THEDEPOSIT OF GOODS IN, AND COLLECTION FROM, A STALL MAY BE PERFORMED INSEQUENCE, AND ELECTRICAL CONTACTS ARRANGED TO BE MADE ON THE COMPLETIONOF EACH OF SAID OPERATIONS, SAID CONTACTS CLOSING CIRCUITS THROUGH THEBANK OF CONTACTS AND WIPERS OF SAID REACTION UNISELECTORS AND MOTORDRIVING SAID "ACTION" AND "REACTION" CONTROLLER WHEREBY SAID WIPERS AREDRIVEN TO PERMIT AN OPERATION IN SAID SEQUENCE OF OPERATION ONLY AFTE ANIMMEDIATE PRECEDING OPERATION HAS BEEN COMPLETED.